# Soldier that "dissed" Rummy a "plant"?!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 10, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-that-dissed-rummy-a-plant/279074 "2004-12-10T04:35:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-that-dissed-rummy-a-plant/279074/61 "2004-12-11T04:20:05Z")
> [@minty green](#): > > You go to war with the foliage you have, not the shrubbery you want. We went to war because of the Shrubbery that we didn’t want…and are stuck with for another 4 years! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-that-dissed-rummy-a-plant/279074/62 "2004-12-11T04:22:13Z")
_Hari kiri_ in the Rose Garden, was kinda what I was thinking. ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-that-dissed-rummy-a-plant/279074/63 "2004-12-11T04:36:02Z")
By the way, I find it fascinating that now that this embedded reporter encouraged and helped this soldier pose his question that this is considered to raise serious issues. And yet, noone ever raised the serious issues about whether this whole thing of embedding reporters in units didn’t make for, say, somewhat biased coverage especially during the actual invasion itself when we had all of these reports from these reporters immersed in, and with their very lives dependent upon, the American troops while we heard and saw very little from the point of view of the Iraqis. Apparently, imbedded reporters only raise issues of journalistic bias and ethics when they start to actually question the military leadership’s propaganda rather than just serving to help promolgate it! ---
**Author:** ![Jillyvn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Jillyvn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jillyvn)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-that-dissed-rummy-a-plant/279074/64 "2004-12-11T05:49:31Z")
> [@Harborwolf](#): > > This is likely a poor analogy, but it would be closer to being sent up in a jet with no parachute. Before you go, they give you a hearty “Don’t worry. We don’t think you’ll need it.” Yeah. Even with the parachute you may die, but the chances of death increase without it. And there isn’t really a good reason to go up without it. > > The soldiers have to scrounge for armor because the planners of this let optimism run the show. They underestimated the strength and stamina of the insurgents. I know that the armor can’t be there instantly. I understand that it takes time to produce it. I just wonder why they didn’t have the armor in the first place. Why didn’t they think that the soldiers would need it? I agree completely with you, and I think the analogy is good. The reason the soldiers don’t have the armour they need is because the US administration seems to be pro-military but completely anti-funding. The soldiers are under-funded, under-payed and invovled in a war that they should not have to fight. The fact that the Bushies et al underestimated the insurgency is yet more glaring evidence of their complete incompetance. They are fighting a war with a 1940 mindset, completely uneducated about guerilla warfare techniques. IMHO, the US Administration needs a serious influx of people who can explain the new reality of war. > [@minty green](#): > > Although you could be killed by a fllower no matter how much armor you’re wearing. You go to war with the foliage you have, not the shrubbery you want. Sorry for the hijack, but this had me laughing for a good five minutes. Thanks. - Rebekkah ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-that-dissed-rummy-a-plant/279074/65 "2004-12-11T14:32:31Z")
Flattering me or **elucidator** is, by definition never a hijack. 🙂 Welcome to the SDMB. Cough up the $10 or whatever it is and stick around! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-that-dissed-rummy-a-plant/279074.md?page=3)